Car precooling apparatus



June 15, 1954 L. ADAMS CAR PRECOOLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

9 g RTTOPA/Ei June 15, 1954 L. ADAMS CAR PRECOOLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IQTIUENEVS Patented June 15, 1954 OFFICE CAR- PRECOOLING APPARATUS Loyd Adams, Maywood, Caiifl, assignor to Growers of California, corporation of Californi Application September 22, 1950, Serial No. 186,215

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for precooling the load or contents of a railway refrigerator car prior to starting the car in transit.

The majority of fruits and vegetables which are transported to market by refrigerator cars are grown in areas having warm climates, such as in California, Florida and other sections of the South and Southwest. The fruit consequently arrives at the cars and is loaded at an atmospheric temperature of approximately 80 to 99 or more. In order to preserve the fruit, the temperature of the car and contents must be brought down to, in some cases, as low as 34 F. and maintained at that temperature while it is in transit. One of the principal objects of my invention is then, to provide an improved method and apparatus for quickly cooling the car to the desired temperature before it is started in transit.

In order to provide adequate air circulation into the car interior from the conventional ice bunkers located at the ends of the car while in transit, both carriers and shippers have agreed upon standard methods of loading and bracing wherein the load is divided into two sections forming a transverse central aisle or air passage between the loads and providing space for a suitable form of bracing or shoring which secures the load against shifting, displacement and damage. It is desirable to precool the car after the load bracing is installed in place so that the car may be sealed immediately after the precooling operation has been completed. The present method of loading and bracing so limits the unimpaired space in the transverse aisle between the sections of the load that known devices for precooling freight cars (for example, that described in my United States Patent No. 2,323,439) cannot be used after the bracing has been installed. Another important object of my invention is, then, to provide apparatus for precooling freight cars which does not require any substantial change in the present method of loading and bracing.

Another object of my invention is to provide car precooling apparatus embodied in a unit adapted to be inserted in the central aisle of a refrigerator car and partially supported by the standard load bracing.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel and improved track and roller means for easily and rapidly inserting a precooling unit in or removing it from the central aisle of a refrigerated freight car.

Other objects and advantages of my invention Calavo Los Angeles, Calif., a a

it is believed will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, parly in section, of a conventional railway refrigerator car, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention in place in the central aisle thereof.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 2, but illustrating a modified form of my invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the rail and roller arrangement for moving the precooling unit in and out of the refrigerator cars.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figures 1-3, a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in operative position in a refrigerator car, generally indicated l6, which may be of any suitable or desirable construction as is well understood in the art and which normally is provided with refrigeration or ice bunkers l! at its opposed ends. The car is further provided with a false floor l2 above the base floor l3 providing an air circulation passage I i. The false floor I2 is ordinarily of slat or open construction permitting air circulation from the load it down through the fioor. The bunkers II are ordinarily open to the refrigeration space within the car through the medium of upper and lower outlets I7 and I8 through which air circulates over ice or other refrigerating medium placed within the bunkers.

In accordance with standard practice, the crates or boxes l9 containing the fruits or vegetables are stacked within the refrigerator space it leaving at the center of the car adjacent doorway 23' a transverse central aisle 2!, racing generally indicated 22 is dispose in central aisle and generally consists of uprights 23, lateral bracing 24 and cross-braces 25. The cross-braces 25 are commonly arranged so that they form three horizontal rows or tiers, dividing the transverse central aisle 2| into substantially separate compartments. In accordance with my invention it is necessary only to modify s of load bracing by omitting the sing c nearest the door in the middle row shown in the Figures 2 and 4.

The precooling apparatus which comprises a preferred embodiment of my invention includes a coil and blower unit, generally indicated 26, mounted on wheels or rollers 2'! for movement along a track 28. The unit 26 includes a refrigerant circulation coil 29 and a plurality of blowers or fans 39 mounted above the coil, both being mounted between a pair of rigid side plates 3|. Each of the plates 3! is U-shaped, being provided with a longitudinal channel or opening 32 extending the major portion of the length of the side plates. The channels 32 are sufficiently wide to provide clearance between the side plates and the middle row of cross-braces 25 when the unit is in the operative position in the central aisle 2! as shown best in Figure 2. As pointed out above, the first cross-brace in the middle row is removed, or omitted, this to avoid interference with the unslotted portion of each of the side plates 3!. The side plates 3i are secured together in substantially parallel relation by means of end plate 34 at one end and plates 35 and 353 at the other slotted end.

The coil 29 is supplied with cold water or other suitable refrigerant through an inlet conduit 3? leading from a suitable source of refrigerant and the refrigerant is taken from the coil 29 through the return conduit 38, the conduits 3i and 38 being preferably of flexible tubing. The fans 30 include rotors 3% of the squirrel-cage type mounted for rotation on a shaft ii]. The shaft is journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) and is driven by a motor ii mounted on a platform 33 which is in turn secured to the end plate 34. Warm air is thus drawn up through the false floor l2 over the coil 29 and through the series of fans 30. Means are provided to divert the now cold air toward each end of the car H3 in accordance with the method described in my United States Patent No. 2,323,439 issued July 6, 1943, and as shown in the drawing, these means may include the diverting unit 84. The unit 4 which includes a diverting duct 45 and a plurality of adjustable vanes 35, rests on top of the upper row of cross-braces 25 directly above the coil and blower 26.

Means are provided to effectively seal the car H) and the coil and blower unit 25 against air leakage, and as shown in the drawings these means may include a M adjacent to and parallel with the end plate 34, which sheet is provided with suitable apertures for the shaft fill, motor platform Q3, and conduits 37 and 3B. A curtain d3 of canvas or other suitable material is opening 26 and is provided with a central rectangular opening corresponding to the size and shape of the plate ll so that when the unit it is in the operative position shown, the plate 41 and curtain 5a cooperate to form a closure for the door opening 29. A pair of curtains :19, also of canvas may be hung, one on each side of plate 3|, to substantially cover the channels 32.

In operation, the loaded and braced refrigerator car I is moved into position adjacent the loading dock or platform 58 and a section i of the track 28 is placed in the central aisle and aligned with the track section 52 on the dock. The coil and blower unit 2!; is then rolled into the operative position shown and the diverting unit #14 is placed in position on the upper row of cross-braces 25. It should be pointed out that the unit 44 need not be secured to the crossbraces since it is sufiiciently heavy to remain in place without fastening means other than by secured to car door gravity. The curtain 48 may then be installed by any convenient means and the electrical connection (not shown) to the motor may be made. With the blowers in operation and refrigerant circulating through the coil 29, the warm air from the floor i3 is cooled as described above and forced outwardly through the vanes as in the direction of the arrows in Figure 3. The cold air is thus forced in either direction longitudinally of the car, falls down through the load and is drawn under the floor back into the precooling unit to be recirculated. When the temperature of the refrigeration space it has reached the desired level, the entire precooling unit may be quickly removed and the car placed in transit.

IPrecooling units made in accordance with my invention are of substantial weight and in order to permit them to be moved about manually, the tracks 28 are .constructed of angle iron or other material in V-shaped form (see Figure 6). The rollers 2! are provided with double flanges forming a V-shaped section of somewhat flatter shape than that formed by the tracks so that there is a substantially single point contact between each roller and the knife-edge portion 56 of the tracks. This very small area of contact reduces friction to a minimum and units so mounted may be easily moved in either direction by a single operator. While I have found that this roller and track arrangement is particularly well adapted for use in combination with precooling units of the type described, it is of course not inherently limited thereto.

A modified form of my invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 and briefly, it consists of a blower unit adapted to be positioned within the central aisle of the refrigerator car in a manner similar to that described above, but with the coil unit positioned outside of the car on the loading platform.

This modification of my invention includes,

specifically, an air diverting unit Gil substantially the same as the unit M, and resting on the upper J row of cross-braces 25 in the same manner. The

rectangular plate or sheet coil and blower unit 6! here again is mounted on rollers 21a for movement along a track 28a which is supported on the loading platform (not shown). The refrigeration coil 62 and series of fans or blowers at are mounted between a pair of rigid side plates 6%, which plates are generally L-shaped, each having a horizontal cantilever leg 85 extending forwardly from an integral base section 65. The coil 82 is mounted between the base sections 66 and enclosed by means of top and bottom walls 61 and 68 and end walls @9 and it. Air inlet and outlet openings H and 12* respectively, are provided in the end wall ill.

Mounted between the cantilever legs of the parallel plates 64 is the series of blowers E53. Bottom wall 13 and end wall M cooperate with the legs 65 to form a housing '55 for the blowers, the blower outlet conduit '55 extending through the open top of the housing. The blowers 63 are provided with rotors (not shown) mounted for rotation on a shaft 71. The shaft is journaled in bearings (not shown) and is driven, through suitable belting 18, by a motor l9 mounted on.

the top wall 61.

In operation, the unit is positioned with respect to the refrigerator car H3 as shown, with.

the blower housing inserted in the central aisle 2| between the middle and upper rows of cross-braces 25. It is to be understood that in this embodiment of my invention the track 2811 need not extend to the interior of the car It, since the side plates 64 are so fashioned that the blower housing is held in overhanging or cantilever relationship to the refrigeration coil 62. Again, the only change in the standard method of load bracing is the omission or removal of the first cross-brace in the middle row, here to prevent interference with the web portions 8;: of the side plates 64. The diverting unit 30 is placed in position above the blower outlet 15 and a curtain 8|, similar to that described above, is secured to the car door opening to prevent air leakage. Refrigerant may then be circulated through the coil 62 by way of the conduits 82 and 83 and the fan motor 19 energized. The blowers 63 cause warm air to be drawn from the lower portion of the car and through the inlet opening H to the coil and thence the now cold air is drawn, in the direction of the arrows, through the blower housing and diverting unit 59. The vanes (not shown) of the unit 56 direct the cold air longitudinally of the car in both directions to fall through the load and be returned to the precooling unit for recycling. In order to prevent channeling of the air through the refrigerating coil, a baiiie 84 may be provided, as shown.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details of the constructions set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for precooling the load of refrigerator car of the type having bracing in a ansverse central aisle formed in the load, the bracing including several rows of horizontal crossbraces extending transversely of the central aisle, the combination of: a unit having a pair of parallel side plates, each plate being provided with an opening extending from one end for the major portion of the plate, the openings provid ing clearance so that the unit may be placed in the central aisle without interference from a central row of cross-braces; a blower mounted between said side plates above the openings therein; a refrigerating coil unit mounted between the side plates below the openings, said coil unit having an inlet adjacent the lower portion of the central aisle; and means positioned above said blower for directing cold air outwardly from the central aisle and toward opposed ends of the car.

2. In an apparatus for precooling the load of a refrigerator car of the type having bracing in a transverse central aisle formed in the load, the bracing including several rows of horizontal crossbraces extending transversely of the central aisle, the combination of: a unit having a pair of parallel side plates substantially equal in length to the central aisle, each plate being provided with an opening extending from one end for the major portion of the plate, the openings providing clearance so that the unit may be placed in the central aisle without interference from a central row of cross-braces; a series of blowers mounted between said side plates above the openings therein; a refrigerating coil unit mounted between the side plates below the openings, said coil unit extending for substantially the full length of the side plates and having an inlet adjacent the lower portion of the central aisle; and means positioned above said blowers for directing cold air outwardly from the central aisle and toward opposed ends of the car.

3. In an apparatus for precooling the load of a refrigerator car of the type having bracing in a transverse central aisle formed in the load, the bracing including several rows of horizontal cross-braces extending transversely of the central aisle, the combination of a unit having a pair of parallel side plates, each plate being provided with a horizontal opening extending from one end for the major portion of the plate, the openings providing clearance so that the unit may be placed in the central aisle without interference from a central row of cross-braces; a blower mounted between said side plates above the openings therein; a refrigerating coil unit mounted between the side plates below the openings, said coil unit having an inlet adjacent the lower portion of the central aisle; and an air diverting unit resting on an uppermost row of cross-braces and above the blower, the air diverting unit having directional vanes extending for substantially the full length of the central aisle, whereby cold air may be directed outwardly from the central aisle and toward the opposed ends of the car.

4. In an apparatus for precooling the load of a refrigerator car of the type having bracing in a transverse central aisle formed in the load, the bracing including several rows of horizontal cross-braces extending transversely of the central aisle, the combination of a unit including a pair of parallel spaced side plates, each plate lying in a substantially vertical plane and each plate having a base portion with a cantilever arm extending horizontally from the upper portion of the base portion, the arms being sufiiciently narrow so that they may be inserted in the central aisle between adjacent rows of crossbraces, and top, bottom and end walls connecting the base portions of said plates; a blower mounted between the arms of said side plates; a refrigerating coil mounted between the base portions of the side plates, air inlet means and outlet means to said refrigerating coil, the inlet means being adjacent the lower portion of said central aisle; and means positioned above said blower for directing cold air outwardly from the central aisle and toward opposed ends of the car.

5. In an apparatus for precooling the load of a refrigerator car of the type having bracing in a transverse central aisle formed in the load, the bracing including several rows of horizontal cross-braces extending transversely of the central aisle, the combination of: a unit including a pair of parallel spaced sides plates, each plate lying in a substantially vertical plane and each plate having a base portion with a cantilever arm extending horizontally from the upper portion of the base portion, the arms being sufciently narrow so that they may be inserted in the central aisle between adjacent rows of crossbraces, and top, bottom and end walls connecting the base portions of said plates; a blower mounted between the arms of said side plates; a refrigerating coil mounted between the base portions of the side plates, air inlet means and outlet means to said refrigerating coil, the inlet means being adjacent the lower portion of said central aisle; and an air diverting unit resting on an uppermost row of cross-braces and above the blower, the air diverting unit having directional vanes extending for substantially the full length of the central aisle, whereby cold air may be directed outwardly from the central aisle and toward the opposed ends of the car.

6. In an apparatus for precooling the load of a refrigerator ear of the type having a central transverse aisle formed in the load, the combination of bracing in said central aisle including two or more horizontal rows of cross-bracing extending transversely of said aisle, a blower insertable into said central aisle between said horizontal rows of cross-bracing, a refrigerating coil unit associated with said blower for cooling air drawn thereacross by said blower, said coil unit having an inlet adjacent the lower portion of the central aisle and being connected to said blower but having a portion spaced therefrom whereby said blower is insertable between adjacent horizontal rows of cross-braces, and an airdiverting unit resting on an uppermost row of horizontal cross-bracing and above said blower,

whereby cold air may be directed outwardly from i the central aisle and toward the opposed ends of the car.

7. In apparatus for precooling the load of a refrigerator car of the type having a central transverse aisle formed in the load, the combination of bracing in said central aisle including two or more horizontal rows of crossbraeing extending transversely of said aisle, a blower unit comprising a plurality of blowers insertable into said central aisle between said horizontal rows of cross-bracing, a refrigerating coil unit associated with said blower unit for cooling air drawn thereacross by the blower unit, said coil unit having an air inlet adjacent the lower portion of the central aisle and being connected to said blower unit but having a portion spaced therefrom whereby said blower unit is insertable between adjacent horizontal rows of cross-braces, and an air-diverting unit resting on an uppermost horizontal row of cross-bracing and above the blower unit, the air-diverting unit having directional vane means extending for substantially the full length of the central aisle, whereby cold air may be directed outwardly from the central aisle and toward the opposed ends of the car.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,995 Schroeder Nov. 27, 1906 1,605,521 Drake NOV. 2, 1926 1,986,413 Ruemelin Jan. 1, 1935 2,279,847 Stebbins Apr. 14, 1942 2,323,439 Adams July 6, 1943 2,477,250 Hincz July 26, 1949 2,523,749 Wilson Sept. 26, 1950 2,525,868 Corhandis Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,024 Great Britain Oct. 18. 1876 

